Category Archives: Blog

Be realistic with expectations.

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CANDIDATES: 

When applying for a job do you always look at their essential criteria? This will always indicate whether you have the skills and requirements the employer is requesting.

Set realistic expectations of roles you are hoping to develop into, look at jobs and opportunities that will lead you to your chosen destination.

Be practical on the requirements of the role, for example seeking a food and beverage manager position within a hotel that is 9-5, Monday – Friday is not reasonable nor is it reflective of the requirements of that role.  By doing this you are setting yourself up for disappointment as these requirements truly don’t exist.  You most certainly will have to go through this journey if you wish to reach the Hotel General Manager position.

Very few jobs are 9-5 anymore, and definitely not in hospitality. One of the main elements of working in the hospitality sector is the flexibility the hours provide flexibility in work means flexibility outside of work also.
If you don’t like to work a 9-5 job and do the same thing every day, then this is the sector for you.  Your hours will vary, and no two days are ever the same.
You will struggle to find a 9-5 in this industry, it’s not impossible but don’t restrict yourself to this as it will pay off along your career path as you learn and develop.

A huge benefit of working in the hospitality industry is that you can expect no two days to ever be completely the same. This makes a position in this sector particularly exciting, as you are likely to always be kept on your feet, often working in a fast-paced environment, but you are rewarded by the fact that it always remains interesting and dynamic.
We can’t forget the great industry perks it brings!

Career progression opportunities

One thing most candidates look for when deciding on a sector to work in is how good the potential is to progress over time. Luckily, as the hospitality industry is increasing, this means that the chance to work your way up the work ladder is both very feasible and very likely. We recommend to have a look at some of the linkedIn profiles of industry leaders, and you will see the path they made to get where they are today.

Think of the bigger picture. Many candidates who switch from shift work to 9-5 find that adjustment difficult.

EMPLOYERS:

This is also crucial for employers too, asking for ‘x’ years of experience in a role will depend greatly from each individual and size of properties a person has worked in.

Read your job description throughly and ensure you are not being unrealistic as you could be eliminating good candidates from applying and joining your team.
For example: in a hotel setting, many managers after 2/3 years as a department head will want to move up the ladder, not take a side step. Consider this greatly as we all work together to open and attract and retain talent into out much loved industry.

Is your salary really reflective on the experience you are seeking? This is a crucial time for all businesses as they begin the recovery journey, working together as an industry to attract and retain staff is a role for everyone in management.
Salaries must be in line with your expectations or you will not attract the calibre and talent you are hoping to achieve. Daly Recruitment are here to provide guidance on any market rate salaries to any employers.

Candidates are now seeking perks which are more than free lunches, uniform – work life balance is now key to all successful recruitment and retention, and more so as we emerge out of lockdown.

Remember the recruitment process has to be right from job advert through the interview process.  Interviews are now a two way street, both sides are accessing the other for suitability! Try and create a relaxed environment so you both can evaluate this.

 

Always be realistic on expectations on roles you are applying for and advertising! The recovery journey is beginning as are career paths and aspirations. 

 

 

 

Hospitality: Solutions and Approaches for an Effective HR Strategy in Ireland

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To cope with the current and worsening risk of hiring the wrong person for the job, hospitality professionals in charge of recruiting are raising the bar. The costs and risks of a poor hire have become so high that the sector can no longer afford to make mistakes.

The most effective hospitality companies’ bread and butter remains great hiring and retention. The hospitality sector will continue to place a high emphasis on identifying, cultivating, and retaining exceptional talent. Not only in the coming months and years, but for the far future.

With this in mind, it’s critical to consider what works, what doesn’t, and what the most efficient (and cost-effective) HR solutions to an increasingly tight labour market are.

 

Be Culture Conscious 

Culture is one of those terms that gets thrown around a lot. However, the fact is that this trendy business word is on everyone’s mind for a reason: culture matters. Not in a flimsy, feel-good way, but in a practical, bottom-line effect kind of way.

 

Culture awareness is the single most effective way to minimise labour costs. Not only in recruiting, but in all aspects of your company. This begins with identifying and recruiting applicants who are a good match for your company’s professional culture, as well as actively nurturing and promoting the kind of long-term company culture that attracts and retains quality talent.

 

To be specific, culture includes more than inspiring wall art or a monthly employee brunch. Culture is more than just “perks” or slogans: it’s a much broader and more profound concept. Flexibility in work hours and work/life balance can be advantageous, but the aim is to help and accommodate the team without jeopardizing continuity, face-to-face team-building time, or productivity.

 

One question that hospitality executives should be asking themselves is, “What would make my team feel connected?” Although precise answers can differ by organisation, culture and communication must be reinforced on a daily basis with realistic concepts, concrete projects, and effective team-building. Here at Opal People Solutions, we recognise the importance in every organisation of company culture, where we can identify the need to improve your employees engagement or change organisational culture.

 

So how do I begin?

Although new efficiencies will be required in the long run, and incorporating new tools and innovations that improve rather than subtract from the guest experience can add real value, there is a limit to how much effect technology can have in an industry where personal interaction is so important. Outsourcing concepts may help alleviate some of the effects of the worsening labour shortage, and decision-makers may be more selective and creative in evaluating potential positions for applicants—even though they applied for a completely different position.

 

However, hospitality firms within Ireland will be unable to continue approaching owners and requesting additional investment in their hotels or restaurants. There is a limit, and broader systemic and economic trends will move to the point that hotel management companies will have to radically change their organisational and cultural trajectory. Better hiring and retention will be a part of the solution alongside an effective HR strategy, as it will be more strategic on how and where to spend available (and, in many cases, diminishing) capital. Retention is by far the region where the industry has the most potential for growth.

 

As the hospitality sector in Ireland continues to grow and evolve, so does the need to develop a HR Strategy aligned to your business growth. We will explore a number of strategy options e.g. recruitment & retention, engagement & culture, reward & recognition, talent management & succession planning, employee well-being and Corporate Social Responsibility to create a HR strategy which will work for your business.

 

An effective HR strategy and positive culture can help to build an employers brand within hospitality. One of the key challenges in hospitality is attracting talent at all levels, and the industry reputation of low pay or unsociable hours can be off putting to candidates, as well as the fact that enforced closures throughout COVID-19 have meant that skilled hospitality staff have looked to other industries to earn and it may be difficult to tempt them back. An effective HR strategy which overall recognises, rewards, allows flexibility of working patterns and supports employee wellbeing etc will support the employer brand internally with employees to not only increase retention but allow current employees to be advocates for the business and more likely to recommend working there to others, to build a brand where people want to work.

 

Your HR strategy is one of the most effective levers in achieving your business goals, but the effect takes time to develop and the connection is difficult to create and maintain. We will help you make the connection by working closely with you to build a simple, concise, owned, and actionable HR plan that will support your company in the long run.

 

We consult closely with you on your HR plan so that you are completely engaged in and accountable for the process and performance. It’s about being sure you have a plan in place that can help you achieve your objectives and that you can put it into action quickly and smoothly. In a nutshell, the right strategy is ready to execute.

 

To find out more about how we can help you with your HR strategy watch our video series, send us an email via louise@opalpeoplesolutions.com or schedule  a free 30 minute consultation with myself click my Calendly link: Calendly – Louise McGeady

About Opal People Solutions:

 

At Opal People Solutions, we pride ourselves on delivering results for our clients.

We Believe in Making a Difference! We are a comprehensive Human Resources Agency situated in Co. Antrim, N.Ireland and we work across the island of Ireland as well as GB.  Our extensive experience in the HR industry means that we protect your business by providing professional advice and support and working with you to deliver the best outcome for you and your people.

 

Whether you are looking for ongoing support or some assistance on a one-off project basis, we can offer you over 20 years’ experience in the people management field.

 

Our services provide a flexible and versatile solution. Our consulting services, which are available on a project-by-project basis, cover the broad range of HR needs that many companies fail to meet. We begin by learning about your business and understanding your challenges, and then we work with you to find a solution that meets your company’s specific requirements.

Click the link for full range of our HR services: https://www.opalpeoplesolutions.com/#services

Managing COVID-19 gaps on your CV

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As reopening dates are in the horizon, many individuals are working on their CV’s and one of the main concerns is having gaps on their CV’s as a result of COVID-19. My advice is, don’t be worrying! 2020-2021 will always be remembered as the year the world was put on hold. All career aspirations and businesses were halted as a result of the global pandemic.

Here are some tips to manage this and build your confidence:

Important to note: If you’ve been furloughed, you have technically still been employed as you remained on the payroll.

Always be honest:
The simple most important thing to remember, is to always be honest when dealing with a gap on your CV should it be due to COVID-19 or other. Honesty is always the best policy, and I would always recommend you apply that thought and principle on CV, interviews & LinkedIn.  While you may be tempted to leave out your employment gap on your CV or make up an excuse as to why you were out of work, always be honest with potential employers about your employment gap.

Include a note on your CV / Cover letter about your job due to COVID-19:
Potential employers and good recruiters can quickly identify gaps on CV’s. It’s always a good idea to give them the information they’re looking for, rather than leave them to speculate the reason behind your gap.
Many people have been affected by redundancies throughout the pandemic, and recruitment managers are aware of this. We recommend you include a small snippet in your CV regarding your job loss due to COVID-19 and clarify it with complete transparency and honesty.
Own it and take the worry away. It’s nothing to be ashamed about!

Remain focused and positive:
Being made redundant is a daunting experience and can leave people feeling discouraged and impact their confidence about job searching again. Many won’t have ever experienced a gap on CV’s before this. It’s important you remain focused and positive throughout this time and not let this experience dishearten you on your job search. You are not on your own and employers, will be aware of the impact the recent pandemic has had on our industry.

Put emphasis on your skill set & experience:
The best way to approach any job application is by painting a good clear picture of your skills and experience to match the job you are applying for. Potential employers and recruiters will be interested to hear about the value you will be able to bring to the job – so focus on your skills and accomplishments, not your employment gap.

The better you demonstrate your skills, the more you are creating awareness of your best assets and attributes that you can bring rather than forcing on the employment gap.

Your LinkedIn profile:
Ensure your LinkedIn profile reflects your CV, remember it’s your online CV presence and can lead to multiple opportunities as recruiters and potential employers search for potential candidates. Check your LinkedIn setting is set to ‘open to job opportunities’. Let your connections know you are open to discuss opportunities and are ok to be contacted.

A top tip is to indicate that you have been laid off due to COVID-19, you can put “The Coronavirus Job Gap” to your LinkedIn profile as a ‘company’. An anonymous user created this so that employers would be aware of this employment gap.

Set goals and look after yourself throughout the job search: 
Set a daily or weekly application goal to stay on top of relevant opportunities, read jobs descriptions in depth ensuring you match all essential criteria before applying, you don’t need more knock backs, that will make you question your ability.
Look after yourself and mental health along the job search journey.

It’s important to stay patient and positive by taking breaks, practising self-care and investing in skill development as you search for jobs. There are many online courses being delivered by Spring Board Charity & colleges (many fully funded) other industry bodies to help assist upskilling throughout these times.

Finally, remember that one CV will not fit all roles or company cultures, always tailor your CV to the company and role you are applying for!

Best of luck and remember to believe in yourself, the past year has been a year which many have used to stop and reflect, now it’s time to start putting those goals back in place and looking to restarting the career journey!

 

Advisory Board for Springboard NI Announced

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In February 2021 Springboard launched its new Northern Ireland Advisory Board. Spring board has been supported by committees and advisory boards for many years. Their Advisory Members are responsible for helping to support the strategic vision, direction, goals and quality of service delivery of the Charity (and its trading subsidiary, Springboard UK).

Lisa Steele of Hastings Culloden Estate & Spa has taken on the role of Chair of the Northern Ireland Advisory Board with Nichola Daly of Daly Recruitment as deputy chair.

Although the day-to-day management activity is carried out by the executive team, the role of an Advisory Board Member is to help and support where possible, ensuring that Springboard’s programme of work is relevant to the needs of both its charity beneficiaries and the hospitality, leisure, and tourism industry. They are key to also ensuring that that appropriate partnerships are in place and that our activities are implemented to best effect, in line with Springboard’s strategic priorities and with the adequate funding / resources to support our work.

Nichola speaks of her delight on her appointment and contributions to the board “As a leading recruiter in hospitality, I feel my contribution and experience of working within the hospitality industry compliments the vision of Springboard. As we collectively join together to rebuild and repair our industry, I am passionate about working to develop a clear strategy to secure the talent pipeline for not only the immediate recovery but the future of our industry as a whole”.

Springboard’s longest serving advisory board is our Scotland one. When Kelly Johnstone, COO, joined the organisation in 2014, the Scotland Springboard Advisory board were already an established board, made up of cross-sector industry members across education, government, skills development Scotland, industry bodies and training providers. This board has gone from strength to strength.

Kelly says “It was a vision of mine to set up more Advisory Boards across the UK, inline with the programme of works and to mimic the wealth of experience and knowledge harnessed in our Scotland Advisory Board” 

In 2019, Kelly established the North West England Advisory board, which had a hugely successful first year.  Then, in 2020, hit with the pandemic and lockdowns, we entered into the world of virtual meetings.  During this transformational period of time, many things changed and it gave Springboard an opportunity to visit our advisory board membership.

The advisory board for Springboard NI consist of leading industry representatives including:

  • Lisa Steele – GM of Hastings Culloden Estate and Spa.   Chair.
  • Nichola Daly – Daly Recruitment. Vice Chair.
  • Paula McInytre – Chef
  • Malcolm Allan – GM, AC Marriott.
  • Mark Rice – Curriculum Hub Manager Hospitality & Tourism at Belfast Metropolitan College. 
  • Richard McGowan – Galgorm Collection.
  • Jacqueline Canning – Andras House Group.
  • Esther Dobbin – National Trust.

Regional Manager for Northern Ireland is the newly appointed Caitriona Lennox.

Michele McCreary will be heading up the ROI market and is Head of Springboard for the Island of Ireland.

For a full list Springboard’s employability programmes & to upskill visit: https://springboard.uk.net/who-we-are/our-programmes/

 

The recovery journey – The importance of investing in specialised recruitment

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As we now look towards emerging out of lockdown, many businesses will be focusing to recruit and attract strong management and teams to help them bounce back quickly. 

It’s a fact that hospitality has lost a substantial number of its people to other industries throughout the past year. The biggest challenge the industry is facing now is to attract this talent back. At Daly Recruitment our passion & mission is to assist you (employers) in the reemployment of talent back into our industry & target the talent who have moved away from hospitality to entice the exceptional skilled talent back.

Based on my ongoing research I have completed over the past number of months, the key message that keeps coming back from  candidates is that a job description or social media post isn’t enough to draw these candidates back into our industry. They want to feel they will be valued and appreciated. Now more than ever, it’s time to reach out to ourselves at Daly Recruitment who specialise in luxury hospitality management recruitment to have conversations about upcoming requirements. Behind the scenes throughout lockdown, we have been compiling a database of highly professional and experienced hospitality candidates that are willing to come back into our industry to hit the ground running for the right opportunity.

A number one client question we get asked at Daly Recruitment is  “Why did candidate X not apply to us directly and came via Daly Recruitment?”.
The answer is simple, a specialised recruiter headhunts on your behalf, following the brief they are provided. Hospitality is a small industry and everyone is well connected, many candidates (as I’ve established) now want to have a middle person to ask questions and speak with the employer on their behalf.
Moving roles, or starting a new job is a big step and individuals will want to get back into a stable job that suits them and will grow their skillset. It’s important candidates trust the guidance and direction they are given.

Reasons why you should invest and work with a specialised recruiter like Daly Recruitment:

  1. Daly Recruitment holds extensive knowledge on the industry & its people. We work in this area permanently and can quickly identify the matching of skills, people and cultures.
  2. Daly Recruitment has direct fast access to candidates, in the market and those who have left.
  3. Daly Recruitment has a proven greater reach than a post on social media and job board.
  4. We are now in a market where management candidates prefer to have a middle person to act on their behalf.
  5. Daly Recruitment take the hassle out of your search and narrow down the search based on our conversations.

Daly Recruitment has established a reputation as a leading recruiter representing leading luxury industry employers and take great pride in all our work and delivery. Providing a five star personable service to both our clients and candidates at all times.

Money spent on good recruitment is money well spent and an investment to your business!

Did you know?:
Daly Recruitment was awarded Best Luxury Specialised hotel management recruiter for UK and Ireland for 2020 by LuxLife Magazine.

We are ready to help and undertake any management / executive recruitment searches you may have across the following areas:

Hospitality | Tourism | Events | Hospitality Trade Suppliers.

To speak to Daly Recruitment about any of your recruitment requirements across the Island of Ireland and UK, please contact us on:

E: Nichola@DalyRecruitment.com

 

The importance of voices for business at this time.

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LAST Sunday morning, coffee in hand, I sat down to watch Sunday politics to keep abreast of latest developments and reviewing the topics of the week.

Business support was a key topic, and it was devastating to hear Tina McKenzie, Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, discuss the hardships being faced and demonstrating the very bleak outlook for many businesses if we do not find a way forward both in terms of the handling of the pandemic, but also enhancing the support available to these businesses.

The impact on business is substantial and that on each of their employees is devastating. Furlough has been a hot topic during this lockdown and as we have seen business vilified for not looking at restructures, she reminded us of the fact that whilst the support available is welcomed, it remains far from enough to enable survival.

I recently received an email from a local politician who stated, “I’m in awe you are still in business”. While this could be accepted as a compliment, this is far from the support and voice a small business like mine requires or is looking for, and this was conveyed to them.

The business community needs a clear voice with a key message and desire, rather than noise. These voices, like Tina, work tirelessly to press the government to step in with more support, minimising their costs and contribution while revenues are non-existent, and I applaud them for doing so.

With news breaking this week that there is still £350 million remaining in the Stormont COVID “pot” to be allocated towards businesses before March, I would urge Diane Dodds and Conor Murphy to listen to businesses and their representatives to ensure businesses survive.

It would be truly shameful if this money had to be returned to Westminster as a result of poor planning and slow reactions, while local businesses are making very difficult decisions due to lack of financial support which clearly is available, but not utilised.

With financial survival for businesses and more importantly each of us as individuals and our families the sole aim, Tina succinctly reminded us that our elected representatives should be held to account, not the businesses themselves.

The Sunday Times recently reported that the public feels more frightened now than at any time before with 56% of voters feeling ‘personally threatened’ by COVID19. It also reported that Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have agreed on a ‘recovery plan’ to save jobs.

The reality is however, that if they and our own Executive do not deliver this strategy correctly, without delay or U-turn, the job market will constrict further. Many professional trade bodies are reporting that their members don’t have enough in the bank until April and judging by numerous reports this past week, lockdown and on-going restrictions are likely to extend beyond April. How can businesses be expected to survive without this?

We all have a voice, but not all of us use it. As a business community we need vocal and active business leaders to speak out to help fight our case. A great demonstrative example of this is the great work of my good friend Brian Donaldson from Excluded NI. Throughout, Brian has spoken out and acted to help thousands who have been financially excluded with no support being provided to them.

Brian had established himself as newly self-employed chef just before lockdown, only to find that as support packages were announced, he quickly found himself excluded from all government support offered. With a family, and a mortgage to pay, Brian created a platform for his case to constructively find a resolution for all those who found themselves in the same situation.

By working closely with local politicians, Brian, has researched and submitted proposals to the Department for the Economy with numerous resolutions and proposals to deliver financial assistance to these groups, which has resulted in thousands, including Ltd Company directors, eventually being awarded some financial support.

Brian continues daily to ensure the excluded have a voice and shows how being a voice can bring about change!

As a business owner, I send a huge thank you to all the hard-working professional trade bodies and voices for our communities, who throughout this time have worked tirelessly to ensure we all have all have a business to return to in the future.

If you, like so many, are in a difficult situation, be sure to reach out to your local business trade body today to highlight your plight and use their voices as much as you can. We all need as much support and survival mechanism as possible. It’s evident that the more voices there are and the louder they become; successful outcomes can be delivered.

I will wrap up by leaving you with a well-known quote by Napoleon Bonaparte: ‘Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent’.

Until next week, stay safe!

Nichola

 

https://www.ulstergazette.co.uk/news/2021/02/02/news/nichola-daly-the-importance-of-voices-for-business-at-this-time-13154/

SURREAL is the only word that can be used to describe the last 10 months.

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As everyone has adapted to the new world of COVID-19 restrictions since March 2020, no one could have anticipated that we would still be in the position that we are currently in, almost one year later.

We are now adapting to a new way of life; we have stopped and started so many times throughout those months due to this ever-evolving devastating pandemic. But sudden and recurring closures and re-openings have brought many businesses to a complete halt; many into debt; and many questioning how much longer they can continue to survive in this climate – myself included.

Managing a business has its challenges in normal times but navigating it through a global pandemic & lockdowns has, without doubt, been very challenging. Although from my own point of view, it has equally enabled a time of huge personal development.

While many businesses have been able to adapt and innovate to generate alternative revenue streams at this time, many have had no other and, regrettably, some have been unable to do so. I admire and love to hear and read these stories – adaptability and resilience is what the world of hospitality is renowned for.

The hospitality sector is evident of innovations with many restaurants offering take away or ‘cook at home’ options which appears to have been a huge success for many. Like any successful idea, with more competition coming to the market, it dilutes the demand and means restaurants etc. are regularly changing their offerings to stimulate further demand.

It’s a tough market and, let’s not forget, many people in this current climate are unable to financially afford dining out or ordering in luxuries. Each opportunity presents its own challenge, and I wish the best of luck to all who continue adapt and evolve – if you can support these businesses, please do.

While Government support is available to businesses, the longer it continues I’m left asking if it is enough to enable businesses to survive in the long term? Furlough for example, which many believe is the lifeline to saving jobs and businesses, is not the reality for many. Furlough still presents an additional cost to the employer with paying pension, national insurance and holiday contributions.

While this may appear minimal, any cost when there is no revenue coming in is significant. The additional financial support that has been provided is not sufficient to cover many overheads that businesses have to occur on a monthly basis.

Based on this, and without additional support coming from the government, it would be naive not to expect further jobs losses in the coming months as businesses run low on funds to meet the costs still presented. Large or small, continued costs without sufficient support is unsustainable. Couple that with the uncertainty of reopening timescales, ever changing restrictions, and lack of clarity in strategy, it could get worse before it gets better.

With the news reported at the weekend that many sectors are now facing a potential reopening date of March/April, this will bring heightened uncertainty to many who had high hopes for 2021 beginning our recovery. In my own personal opinion, formed by talking to numerous businesses and strategists, it seems very clear that it will be the second half of the year before we will see any turnaround as more of the vaccine is rolled out.

In fact, the Danske Bank Quarterly Sectoral forecast published last week has predicted it will be a number of years before we witness a return to pre COVID-19 trade levels. What we are certain of is this knock-on impact which will be felt for a long time – we can only but hope for an expedient roll out of the vaccine so we can begin to rebuild and return to the world we once knew, and that itself will mean different things to us all!

As a community we all have a part to play in getting this virus under control. Adhering to the guidelines, and acting responsibly is little to ask of us, so we can avoid unnecessary pressure to an already overstretched NHS, devastating personal loss to families, and uncertain economic future. I, like all of us, am grateful for all of the work that the NHS and key workers have done over the past 10 months. Continuing to do our part now places less strain on the health service and enable them to focus on a quicker delivery of the vaccine.

With so much uncertainty, it is difficult not to feel overwhelmed. But as we all work towards brighter days ahead both personally and professionally, cooperation, adaptability and resilience is key.

Please stay safe, stay at home, and support local businesses as and where you can.

Daly Recruitment Awarded Best Luxury Hotel Recruitment Specialists – UK & Ireland 2020.

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LUXlife Magazine have announced Daly Recruitment as the Best Luxury Hotel Recruitment Specialists – UK & Ireland in their LUXlife Magazine Resorts & Retreats Awards 2020. Daly Recruitment, based in Belfast specialises in Luxury recruitment across Hotels | Tourism | Event Management | hospitality trade suppliers across the Island of Ireland and UK.
Working with a portfolio of high end clients to find that perfect match.

The resorts and retreats industry is a true goliath, accounting for multi-trillion dollar expenditure every year and single-handedly fuelling global economies. Despite this, the sector is incredibly competitive, and expectations require nothing short of excellence to reap continued success. On top of all of this, 2020 has been a disruptive force, putting many long-established brands on the back foot, with the simplest of things being rendered far from certain.

Awards Coordinator Holly Morris took a moment to comment on the extraordinary achievements of those recognised: “The hospitality industries encompass a vast array of different businesses. Companies of all shapes and sizes and in all locations contribute to creating exquisite memories for people all over the world. With this, I offer my sincere congratulations to all of those recognised and I hope you have a fantastic new year ahead.”

Ultimately, LUXlife launched the Resorts & Retreats Awards to recognise those who have dedicated themselves to offering the finest experiences, product and services in the industry. Whether established stalwarts, or up and coming newcomers, we endeavour to seek out the paragons who lead the pack and set the benchmark. With 2020 being the year it has been, it becomes more important to celebrate those who have dedicated resources to navigating the unique challenges they have faced. At the end of the day, considering everything we’ve been through over the last ten months, success, at all levels, must be celebrated.

Nichola Daly, Director of Daly Recruitment speaks of her delight at being awarded such a prestigious award. Nichola reflected on the achievement and on the year which has passed;
“2020 has been a challenging year for the sector, throughout this time we have been  side by side with the industry  throughout it all.  I am beyond delighted, and indeed very proud to win this award, up against tough competition within the market place. Daly Recruitment are extremely proud of our portfolio of clients and candidates, and look forward to working with all throughout 2021 to rebuild and repair the industry we all love. We are very grateful for the nominations and of course the wonderful support along the Daly Recruitment journey. It has been a great ending to 2002 at Daly Recruitment HQ’s to receive this award”.

About LUXlife

Published bi-monthly, LUXlife informs readers on all aspects of high-end lifestyle, including the finest, food and drink, hotels and resorts, health and beauty, automotive, jewellery, art and technology from around the world.

December 2020.

When the light goes out!…..

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The hospitality industry is all about people and the measure of success is based on how businesses treat their customers who want to feel special, recognised and cared for. This is ultimately achieved by treating them in a warm, friendly, welcoming and generous way. How many times could you say you treat yourself this way?

  • How often do you take time to care for yourself, recognise how you are feeling and treat yourself as someone special?
  • As a manager you constantly do it for everyone else so what’s stopping you from doing it for yourself?

The reason this is so important is because if you don’t take care of yourself you will ultimately be in no fit state to give that care to others.

Mental health has always been an issue in the hospitality industry, this time last year it was reported that over 80% of hospitality workers felt that stress levels were increasing and were believed to be linked to the job. This resulted in many saying that they would not recommend the industry to others. The industry regrettably is not known for its great work life balance and whilst there are those that are doing much to change this, many are still not making the wellbeing of their staff a priority. As there is so much uncertainty around the current situation this makes the industry unappealing as a career choice, in fact many are choosing to leave due to the lack of stability.

This highlights the need for investment in the wellbeing of staff where they have access to good mental health support, by this we mean helping them to adopt healthy behaviours not just physically but emotionally, socially, spiritually and intellectually. This is particularly important at this current time as many managers are dealing with so much change and ongoing uncertainty. There are many different experiences depending on which type of business managers are in and no two appear to be the same, so I think it’s important to realise that your experience is not necessarily what others are feeling. Still for the majority they are faced with countless demands, and they may not necessarily have the resources to meet them which creates an environment where they are constantly overworked and under pressure.

Burnout

As a manager there can be this need to take on everyone else’s problems, feel responsible and always be available for others. These are expectations that are in many ways unrealistic and unachievable and when cannot be met make you feel frustrated, disappointed and as if you are not doing your job well. The truth is you cannot sustain that kind of approach.

This is resulting in unprecedented levels of burnout, that feeling when the light goes out and you have nothing more to give. Like being on stage we put on a show, when at work you are so busy focussing on the challenges you don’t have time to think about anything else. It’s when the curtain falls or in this case the doors close that it can be a very different show that’s going on. Burnout is more than feeling stressed, it’s being exhausted, mentally drained, feeling like you can’t give anymore, like an empty vessel. It affects every part of your life and tends to creep up on you and before you know it, bam!

Now if a business has strategies in place to recognise the signs of potential burnout and deal with them early on then they may be able to prevent it.  This involves getting support to help build resilience, you are not invincible and it is a good sign if you can recognise that you need support, there is no shame in it.

Ways to manage your mental health

  • You have a responsibility to yourself to manage your own mental health and if that means asking for help then that is what you need to do.
  •  It’s crucial to find balance in your life and focus on what is important to you and see how you can stay connected to people who you trust, either in or outside of the industry.
  • Avoid self- medication of drugs and alcohol because that doesn’t make the problems go away, it just numbs the pain and is a temporary fix that can cause problems further down the line.
  • It’s important to get into a good routine, exercise, eat well and get enough sleep, when at work make sure you take regular breaks, this actually makes you more productive not less.
  • Focus on what you can control even if those are only small things, it will help you be able to take back some sense of power over your life and keep anxiety levels at bay.
  • Learn to delegate to share the load and let others help you, it might take time to get used to doing this but will make a difference in the long term and will result in your staff developing their own skills.
  • Be mindful of others and show empathy but remember if you do not look after yourself you will be of no help to anyone. As a manager if you cannot deal with a staff issue sometimes it is best to signpost them to help from other sources and then keep checking on their progress. You don’t necessarily have all the answers.
  • Burnout doesn’t have to be permanent and it certainly is something that can be prevented, but if experienced and treated correctly it can have you coming back even stronger, hopefully with lessons learnt to stop it happening again.

 

Author: Shirley Walker – The Seasoned Coach

If you feel you might need some help to get back on track contact me at:

Email: shirley.walker@theseasonedcoach.co.uk
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shirley-walker  
Website: www.theseasonedcoach.co.uk

The importance of providing interview feedback

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Whilst we are all in a place of the unknown, it’s important if a candidate takes the time to apply, prepare & attend an interview, that they are given the respect of feedback – good or constructive it will help the candidate learn for the next interview.

People in our industry are disheartened beyond belief right now. Levels of anxiety are at an all time high, wondering how bills etc will be paid, career goals are up in the air, what’s going to happen next. A short call or an email with feedback, will help them prepare for the next position they present themselves for and help their confidence.

We need to be mindful, whilst we are here in this pandemic this will pass and the recruitment channels will be re-open again and companies will once again be seeking the top talent. Protect your brand and its position within the marketplace, and give the time & respect to candidates who are presenting themselves in front of you at this time.

Leaders have an opportunity to gain an edge in the battle for talent at this time: deliver a superior recruiting experience to every candidate, even those that don’t receive an offer it will stand by you.

It goes back to that saying: ‘People will forget what you say, but will never forget how you made them feel’. Never more so has those words been more important..

ALL FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT!!